OVANDO – Ranchers, anglers and bikers all find their way to the Stray Bullet Cafe.

"Our atmosphere is family friendly with a mix of very supportive locals and the folks just passing through," owner Colleen Stone said. "I always say the locals are No. 1 followed by cyclists and fishermen."

The name harkens back to the late 1800s and the rowdy saloon preceded it. A stray bullet remains lodged in the cafe wall.

The Stray Bullet is overtly Western, with milk called "cow juice," pop called "spurs," and iced tea known as "sun water." The cafe also serves beer and wine.

A fifth-generation Blackfoot Valley resident, Stone works to locally source products as she pursues a "taste of the west."

Breakfast is served all day, with options such as the Vaquero, a breakfast burrito of pork sausage, scrambled eggs, cheese and salsa, with hash browns. The Duke is a three-egg omelet made to order and customizable. The Cowboy is hot oatmeal, while the Gunslinger is two eggs, hash browns, a choice of breakfast meat and toast.

Breakfasts are $6 to $9, or customizable with ala cart sides. The cinnamon rolls are a popular item.

Come high noon, the Stray Bullet has a long list of sandwiches, from peanut butter and jelly to grilled tuna, for $5.75 to $9.75. Double the meat for $3.

"I would say the most popular item on the menu is The Outlaw (biscuits and gravy) for breakfast and the Ruger (the Reuben sandwich) for lunch," Stone said. "Since we do breakfast all day the Outlaw wins out overall."

The cafe also makes soup. Order it with the house specialty — Zoe Bread — a cheesy garlic bread.

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The tuna casserole is a special at the Stray Bullet in Ovando. The restaurant serves hearty breakfasts and lunches.
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TRIBUNE PHOTO/KRISTEN INBODY
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"We do the bread for our brandings with spaghetti, and family and friends said it had to be on the menu," Stone said. "Zoe, pronounced like Joe, happens to be my mom's and my middle name."

Lunch to go is $11.75 for a full sandwich or a wrap with chips or a salad, dessert and a drink, or $8.75 for a half-sandwich.

Diners can pick up take-and-bake (or "giddy up 'n' go") casseroles that can be popped in the oven for dinner.

The Stray Bullet is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily at 403 Main St. until winter hours begin after Thanksgiving weekend. Winter hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday through April. The cafe closes for Christmas, Dec. 22 to Jan. 6.

While in Ovando, don't miss wandering through the town square. If you need an extra reason to go, Ovando Winterfest, an old-fashioned holiday observance, is Nov. 28-29.

Reach Tribune Staff Writer Kristen Inbody at 791-1490 or by email at kinbody@greatfallstribune .com. Follow her on Twitter at @GFTrib_KInbody.